HARARE, Jul 4 (NewsDay Live) – Zimbabwe Independent editor, Faith Zaba was on Friday granted bail by Harare magistrate Vakai Chikwekwe after a power outage disrupted proceedings at the bail hearing on Thursday.
The power outage condemned her to a third night in detention following her arrest this week over a satirical article that appeared in the weekly.
She was ordered to pay US$200, surrender her passport, and reside at her given address. She was also ordered not to interfere with State witnesses and to report to the police once every Friday at CID Law and Order.
Chikwekwe also postponed the matter to July 29.
Zaba is being charged with ‘undermining or insulting’ President Emmerson Mnangagwa in a satirical column published under the pseudonym “The Muckraker” last Friday.
She was arrested on Tuesday this week after presenting herself to the police in the company of her lawyer, Chris Mhike, and was being held at Chikurubi Female Remand Prison.
At the hearing, the State initially did not oppose bail, with the prosecutor Takudzwa Jambawo citing medical records presented by the defence but later withdrew its consent.
“We have no compelling reasons to warrant the state to oppose bail and we propose conditions that this court may consider in and when the court is inclined,” Jambawo said at the hearing on Thursday.
- Mr President, you missed the opportunity to be the veritable voice of conscience
- ED to commission new-look border post
- Zanu PF ready for congress
- EU slams Zim over delayed reforms
Keep Reading
Following the withdrawal, defence lawyer Chris Mhike applied for bail witj conditions.
“‘We have no objections to the proposed conditions. She undertakes not to interfere with investigations. She is not a member of ZRP. Not the daughter of police officers, doesn't employ any members of the ZRP and has no capacity to interfere with the ZRP,” he submitted.
The State did not make opposing submissions.
